Kirkland: We deserved fans' wrath

15 August 2010 02:01

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Chris Kirkland has admitted Wigan let their fans down with their shambolic opening-day performance against Blackpool.
Despite playing at home against a side overwhelmingly tipped for relegation, Wigan collapsed to a dismal 4-0 defeat.
Roberto Martinez's side were three goals down before the interval, knowing the deficit could easily have been even worse, before a Kirkland error gifted Alex Baptise a fourth after the break.
It was a pitiful way to start the season and stand-in skipper Kirkland admitted Wigan deserved the boos that went ringing round the DW Stadium at half-time and after the final whistle.
"To a man we let the fans down," said Kirkland. "They are entitled to say what they want. That is part of football. The way we played in the first half, we deserved it.
"Now everyone has to stand up because we are going to take a lot of criticism, and rightly so. We weren't good enough."